Biocon Limited an innovation-led global biopharmaceutical company, announced the launch of its GLP-1 peptide, Liraglutide, for diabetes (gVictoza®) and obesity (gSaxenda®), in the Netherlands through its distribution partner Pharmamedic B.V. The drug-device combination will be marketed in the Netherlands under the brand names Diavorin® for diabetes and Vobexoryn® for chronic weight management.
The launch follows the approval from the Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB), Netherlands, earlier this year and will mark the first country in the European Union where the Company will directly launch Liraglutide under its own brand.
Siddharth Mittal, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Biocon Limited, said, “The launch of Liraglutide in the Netherlands marks a significant milestone in expanding Biocon’s GLP-1 portfolio across key global markets, and reinforces the strategic importance of peptide-based therapies within our portfolio. With our vertically integrated, end-to-end capabilities, we are uniquely positioned to deliver high-quality, affordable metabolic treatments at scale. Launching Diavorin® and Vobexoryn® under our own brand in Europe reflects not only our scientific and manufacturing excellence, but also our long-standing commitment to broadening access to advanced therapies for diabetes and obesity. It is also another step forward in Biocon’s mission to better serve millions of patients and support more sustainable healthcare systems across regions.”
About Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1): Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) are medications that help lower blood sugar levels and promote weight loss. They are physiological hormones that have multiple actions on glucose, mediated by the GLP-1 receptors released from gut enteroendocrine cells and control meal-related glycemic excursions through augmentation of insulin and inhibition of glucagon secretion. GLP-1 also inhibits gastric emptying and food intake actions, maximizing nutrient absorption while limiting weight gain.
About Liraglutide : Liraglutide is a synthetic analog of GLP-1 peptide and is administered as a once-daily injection. It was approved for medical use in the European Union in 2009, and in the United States in 2010. Liraglutide was approved by the US FDA in 2014, and by the EMA a year later, for adults who are either obese or overweight with atleast one weight-related condition. In 2019, it was approved by the US FDA for the treatment of children who are ten years or older with type 2 diabetes, making it the first non-insulin drug approved to treat type 2 diabetes in children since metformin was approved in 2000.
